


The Razeteur

by Denstort



Category: Muse (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-04
Updated: 2015-09-04
Packaged: 2018-04-19 00:08:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4725392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Denstort/pseuds/Denstort
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dominic was on a holiday to relax, he didn't expect to find his special someone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Razeteur

**Author's Note:**

> The Razeteurs compete against one another to remove, as quickly as possible, objects placed between the bull’s horns. These are strings, tassels and a cockade which each earn the Razeteur a cash prize upon removing it.

“Come to the Camargue, see how beautiful it is,” Dominic growled.

True it was beautiful and he did need a break from the busy office in the Paris branch of the company he worked for. But at this moment he was covered in Camargue mud; which was not beautiful.

He’d gone on an escorted horse trek, but somehow he’d lagged behind and had been hurrying to catch up, when he and his horse had been surprised by one of the large black bulls that the Camargue was famous for.

His horse had bolted, then thrown him and galloped off. Now he was trudging back in what he hoped was the right direction. He’d been walking for what seemed hours when he heard horses and voices.

“Over here!” he yelled.

Then he heard the voices again…well one voice.

“Saviez-vous que?”

“Hey, I’m here!” he yelled again.

The jingle of a bit proceeded the appearance of a rider, dressed in the traditional clothes of the gardian. He was about to speak when the rider lifted his head, and Dominic was struck dumb by the sight of the most beautiful man he had ever seen…and the most startling pair of blue eyes.

“You are Monsieur Howard?”

Dominic almost keeled over at the man’s accented English.

“Monsieur Howard, are you okay…are you injured?”

The man dismounted and there was genuine concern in those blue eyes.

“S-sorry, I’m fine,” Dominic managed to stutter.

The man smiled and he almost went again, as it highlighted those cheekbones and revealed a crooked tooth that he found adorable.

“Ah, bonne. I am Mathieu Bellamy, I am part of the search party. Your cheval….sorry, horse returned to the  
escorted ride without you.”

Any more conversation was stopped by the arrival of the rest of the search party and Mathieu reverted to speaking French.

“Monsieur Howard, we should get you back to the riding centre. You will ride with me…yes.”

Dominic’s heart skipped a beat and he spent the next half hour holding onto to Mathieu’s waist, trying not to feel his muscles as they moved with the horse.

He was very disappointed when they reached the riding centre and he had to let go of Mathieu.

“I hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday, Monsieur Howard,” Mathieu said.

Dominic sighed as he watched the beautiful man ride away.

******************

The next day was another excursion, this time to one of the ranches that bred the black bulls that were used in the Camarguaise. He was looking forward to it, where Razeteurs risked life and limb to snatch tokens from the horns of the bull, in an act of bravery or foolishness, depending on your point of view.

He was sitting on a bench outside one of the pens, waiting for a herd to driven in. They could be heard before they were seen, along with the whistles and cries of the guardian’s.

They were a magnificent sight as they thundered into the pen, but Dominic’s attention was taken by one of the riders; it was him, and he spotted him and rode over.

“Monsieur Howard, a pleasure to see you again. You are well?”

Dominic knew he was blushing, but he didn’t care.

“I fine, thank you. This is your ranch?”

“Non, my father’s.”

A shout went up and Mathieu wheeled his horse and Dominic watched in awe as horse and rider fearlessly weaved in and out of the bulls, separating a very large bull, which was then driven into another pen, where it pawed the ground and bellowed its displeasure.

Mathieu helped drive the rest of the herd back out before returning to Dominic.

Dominic blushed again when Mathieu blatantly looked him up and down.

“Where are my manners, I do not even know your first name.”

“Dominic.”

“Then it is a pleasure to meet you again, Dominic.”

Dominic blushed again and Mathieu smiled; obviously well aware that he was making him blush.

“Dominic, would you like a personal tour of the ranch?”

*******************

Dominic once again found himself not trying to look at the way Mathieu moved when he dismounted and climbed the fence.

They walked and he was entranced by the accented English once again.

“You are on holiday from Angleterre?”

“No and yes…yes I am on holiday, but I live and work in Paris.”

That seemed to please Mathieu, who smiled that smile, then said something that made Dominic’s heart race.

“Dominic, I find you very attractive and I would like to get to know you better. I would also like to kiss you, if that is alright?”

Dominic swallowed, lost for words.

Mathieu’s face fell at his silence.

“I am sorry, it is too forward,” he said. “Perhaps we should re-join your party.”

Before Dominic could form a reply Mathieu was walking off. He followed but when he re-joined the others he couldn’t see him, and he didn’t for the rest of the day; he probably would never see him again.

***********************

The end of the holiday couldn’t come quickly enough, there was only one excursion left, the La Cocarde D’or in Arles.

He watched the Razeteurs as they risked life and limb to snatch a token with disinterest…that was until the last event….he saw him.

He was a Razeteur and the bull that entered the ring was huge and aggressive.

The crowd roared its approval as one of the Razeteurs just leapt out of the way after snatching a token.

But Dominic’s eyes were on Mathieu as he eyed the bull. Dominic’s pulse quickened as he made his move and snatched a token. Mathieu leapt and clung onto the board, just out of reach of the bull’s horns.

The bull span away and Mathieu jumped down and began the dance again.

Now Dominic was watching his every move, and despite the danger, he found watching him intoxicating and  
thrilling…and worrying; what if he miscalculated?

He sat forward in his seat as Mathieu got closer to the bull, whilst it was distracted by another Razetuer; they were both going for the last token.

There was a gasp from the crowd when the bull whipped round and caught Mathieu, lifting him off his feet and throwing him several feet.

The crowd went silent as the bull was driven away from the downed man.

Dominic found he couldn’t breathe…then there were shouts from the Razeteurs as Mathieu stood, albeit a little wobbly; he had taken the last token.

Then the crowd was on its feet, but there might as well have been only one as Mathieu’s eyes found Dominic’s.

Then Mathieu was gone, carried on the shoulders of the others.

Dominic sighed; he would no doubt never see him again. He was just about to board the tour bus, when he felt  
someone tugging on his shirt.

He looked down, there was young boy looking up at him.

“Monsieur Howard?”

He nodded and the boy handed him a piece of paper, then waited patiently whilst he read it.

A few moments later he was standing outside one of the changing room doors, knocking on it.

It was opened by Mathieu who Dominic couldn’t fail to notice was bare-chested. Nor could he fail to notice how well-muscled he was despite his small frame.

“Dominic, please come in.”

Dominic then noticed the large bruise that was forming over most of his stomach.

“You’re hurt,” he said.

Mathieu smiled, “It is nothing, Dominic, and you did not answer my question back at the ranch. I would like to get to know you better and I would like to kiss you.”

Dominic smiled, “In that order?”

Mathieu raised one eyebrow and closed the gap between them, and Dominic could feel the full effect of those eyes.

“Not necessarily,” he said and kissed him.


End file.
